The two ways to close an app on iPhone
You close an app on iPhone in one of two ways: swiping it away from the app switcher, or force-closing it through Settings. The first method works for most situations. The second is for when an app freezes, crashes, or stops responding — the nuclear option that shuts it down completely without letting it finish what it was doing.
Most of the time you do not need to close apps at all. iOS manages memory and background activity automatically. But closing an app can fix a glitch, stop it from draining your battery, or prevent it from syncing data you do not want synced right now.
Key Takeaways
- Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the app switcher, then swipe up on the app card to close it — this is the normal way to close an app.
- Force-closing through Settings (General > iPhone Storage, select the app, tap Offload App) stops a frozen or crashing app without restarting your phone.
- On iPhone X and newer, the app switcher is accessed by swiping up from the bottom; on iPhone 8 and earlier, double-tap the home button instead.
- Closing an app does not delete it, and it does not free up permanent storage — it only stops the app from running in the background.
- If an app keeps crashing after you close it, restart your iPhone or reinstall the app from the App Store.
Closing an app by swiping in the app switcher
Open the app switcher by swiping up from the very bottom of your screen and pausing for a moment. You will see cards showing all the apps you have used recently, stacked on top of each other. Find the app you want to close.
Swipe up on that app's card. It will disappear from the switcher. The app is now closed. You can swipe down or tap the home screen to exit the app switcher and return to your home screen.
This method works on iPhone X and all newer models. If you have an iPhone 8 or earlier, double-tap the home button instead to open the app switcher, then swipe up on the app card the same way.
Force-closing an app that is frozen or crashing
If an app is not responding, swiping it away may not work. Instead, force-close it through Settings. Open Settings, tap General, then tap iPhone Storage. Scroll down and find the app you want to close.
Tap the app name. You will see two options: Offload App and Delete App. Tap Offload App. This removes the app from memory and stops it from running, but keeps your data and settings for that app. Tap Offload App again to confirm.
After a few seconds, the app will close completely. You can now open it again fresh, or leave it closed. Offloading does not delete the app itself — it stays on your phone and you can use it whenever you want.
What closing an app actually does and does not do
Closing an app stops it from running in the background and using your phone's processor and battery. It does not delete the app from your phone, and it does not free up the storage space the app takes up. If you want to remove an app entirely and reclaim that storage, you have to delete it.
When you close an app, any unsaved work inside that app is usually lost. If you were typing a message or editing a photo, close the app without saving and that work disappears. Most apps save your place automatically, so reopening them takes you back to where you left off — but not always.
iOS automatically manages which apps run in the background and which ones pause. Closing an app manually is rarely necessary for performance. The main reasons to close an app are to stop a crash loop, prevent unwanted background syncing, or reset an app that is behaving strangely.
Restarting your iPhone if closing the app does not fix the problem
If an app keeps crashing even after you close and reopen it, restart your iPhone. Press and hold the side button and either volume button until the power-off slider appears. Drag the slider to turn off your phone. Wait 10 seconds, then press and hold the side button again until you see the Apple logo.
A restart clears your phone's temporary memory and resets all running processes. Many app crashes that survive closing an app will disappear after a restart. This is the first troubleshooting step Apple recommends for any app problem.
Reinstalling an app from the App Store
If restarting does not stop the crashes, delete the app and reinstall it fresh. Open Settings, go to General, tap iPhone Storage, find the app, and tap Delete App. Confirm by tapping Delete App again.
Open the App Store, search for the app by name, and tap the cloud icon with a down arrow to reinstall it. Wait for the read and installation to finish. The app will reappear on your home screen with a fresh copy of its code, which often fixes crashes caused by corrupted files.
Your data inside the app — saved games, messages, photos, settings — may or may not come back depending on whether the app syncs to iCloud or the developer's servers. Check the app's settings after reinstalling to see if your information is still there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does closing apps make my iPhone faster?
Not noticeably. iOS manages background apps automatically, so closing them manually does not improve performance in most cases. If an app is actively crashing or using unusual amounts of battery, closing it helps. Otherwise, the speed difference is too small to measure.
Will closing an app delete my data?
Closing an app does not delete any data stored on your phone or in the cloud. It only stops the app from running. Any unsaved work inside the app — like a draft message or unsaved photo edit — will be lost if you close without saving first.
What is the difference between closing and offloading an app?
Closing stops the app from running but leaves it installed. Offloading removes the app from your phone but keeps your data and settings, freeing up storage space. Reinstalling an offloaded app restores your data. Deleting an app removes it entirely and may delete your data too.
Can I close multiple apps at once?
In the app switcher, you can swipe up on one app at a time. There is no way to select and close several apps in one action. If you want to close many apps, swipe them away one by one.
Why does my app keep crashing even after I close it?
A crash that repeats after closing usually means the app has a bug, your phone is low on storage, or iOS needs an update. Restart your iPhone, check that you have at least 1 GB of free storage, and make sure your iOS version is current. If crashes continue, reinstall the app or contact the developer.